A SKATEPARK on the seafront is being recommended as a top priority by organisers of a report from new community group Troon Together, following the launch of an action plan at the Walker Hall last Wednesday.

Previous proposals for a skate park - aimed especially at young people in the town never really got off the ground but Troon Together say the proposed facility could be up and running within a year.

There are also ambitious proposals for a pop-up ice rink in the promenade, which could attract interest in the lead up to Christmas time.

Beach huts are proposed along with a barbecue area on the promenade and beach umbrellas and deck chairs for hire. An outdoor stage or bandstand is also proposed and could be liked to spaces around the Walker Hall.

There are proposals for a new community park on part of Darley golf course which could enable east-west link paths.

A car park and facilities at Barassie Beach are recommended along with improvements to the existing south beach car parks.

Troon Together would like to see centres in the town centre, Muirhead and Barassie but they could be developed in partnership with the Lighthouse Church and could be in a Church of Scotland facility as there are proposals to reduce the three congregations in the town. A brand new play area is also needed on the beach, it was revealed. There should also be a new grid of routes connecting outlying neighbourhoods to the coast, stations and town centre.

Felicity Steers, who helped put the report together was impressed with the consultation exercise.

She said: “It’s been a really good exercise and we have lots of positive contributions and attendance at events. The end result is an action plan that hopefully people will run with and things will improve. The physical form of the town is a bit disjointed because of the history of the town and you could say the community is too. If you tie it together the hope is that people will come together.

“The beach is a really big opportunity and has become far less well used than it was.

“There used to be an outdoor swimming pool, shelters and picnic benches and if we could get the beach working then that would really work for young people. There needs to be investment on the seafront.”